Drama in New Orleans: the city council vs. the mayor [new orleans]

CityBusiness reports:

The New Orleans City Council will hold a special meeting and executive session Monday with the hope of reaching a consensus on how to move forward following Mayor C. Ray Nagin�s vow to discontinue funding the full contract of sanitation services in the French Quarter.

In doing so, they are relying on an opinion letter written by Herman, Herman, Katz & Cotlar, which the Times-Picayune described as follows:

"The Home Rule Charter clearly provides that the (budget) ordinance is a law which the mayor is required to follow, like all other ordinances, " the opinion said. Further, it said, the council can seek a court order to "compel the mayor to distribute and spend funds as required" under the ordinance.

The mayor, in turn, has called any potential suit a "waste of time", relying on an opinion by the City Attorney's Office.

Posted by MBC at January 29, 2009 10:06 PM